GAME RECAP: Predators 4, Oilers 3 (OT)

NASHVILLE, TN – Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, while Zach Hyman scored twice on the power play, but the Edmonton Oilers could only leave Broadway with a single point after falling 4-3 in overtime to the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in the second of a back-to-back on Tuesday.

Defenceman Roman Josi scored with 1:17 left in overtime to win it for Nashville with his second goal of the night, winning a race to the puck and getting the puck back to beat Tristan Jarry, who made his first start in 11 games on Tuesday and finished the night with 23 saves in the defeat.

"I think we could be better in back-to-backs, making simple plays," Hyman said. "I thought we were too complicated and caused too many unforced errors. I thought Jars played great, and then the special teams were good."

Draisaitl recorded assists on each of Hyman's PPGs and scored his 25th goal of the season for another dominant showing against the Predators franchise, now having 49 points (27G, 22A) in 20 career games against them since 2018-19, while extending his current point streak to five games (5G, 5A).

Connor McDavid recorded two assists and pushed his career-best point streak to 20 games, totalling 46 points (19G, 27A).

The Oilers will be back in action on Thursday at Rogers Place when they host the New York Islanders.

FIRST PERIOD

Tristan Jarry was given no time to adjust back to his NHL surroundings in his first start in 11 games.

It took nearly a month for Jarry to be activated off LTIR on Tuesday and between the pipes for the first time since Dec. 18, but it took only 20 seconds before he was facing his first high-danger chance from the Predators that needed one of their former defenceman Spencer Stastny to step in and help him out.

Darnell Nurse and Michael McCarron dropped the gloves for the third time in their careers off the opening draw at centre ice for a fight that saw both fighters toss swinging haymakers and uppercuts before McCarron tackled Nurse to the ice to finish the scrap in the opening seconds.

It was only 17 seconds later when Jarry sent a rimmed puck up the boards that was knocked down and fed quickly to Cole Smith, who walked to the middle and struck the far post before the puck was cleared out of the crease with the help of Stastney before 30 seconds had even expired in the first period.

The Predators turned a strong start into the opening goal a few minutes later when Michael Bunting picked off a pass near the top of Nashville's zone to start the counter-attack that led to Steven Stamkos ripping it past Jarry for the 1-0 lead.

Stamkos passed Jari Kurri on the NHL's scoring list for 21st all-time with his 602nd career tally and registered his 16th season with 20 or more goals, becoming the fourth active player with Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane to achieve the feat.

"I think we got off to a slow start and just looked like we were a step behind," Knoblauch said. "They looked a lot fresher and a little faster than us tonight, and we just wanted it to be easy. I know there were a lot of turnovers, which allowed them to get the puck and counter on us, where we had to defend. I think we had to simplify it a little bit more and make them defend, while making it harder for them to break pucks out."

Defenceman Jake Walman joined Jarry on the list of returnees who were activated off LTIR on Tuesday to face the Predators and showed no hesitation in laying out for two blocks on odd-man rushes for the Predators that could've turned deadly if not for him dropping to the ice to take away the chances.

"I think we're coming along," Hyman said. "I think we have another level to get to. We got some guys returning from injury, obviously, which is a great sign. I thought it was a good first game for them. I thought Jars was outstanding in earning us that extra point. I thought Wally was good in his return. So good to get those guys back."

The Predators being careless with their sticks led to two power plays for the Oilers in the first period, where Zach Hyman was denied by Juuse Saros in front on the first man advantage before setting the theme of his night by banging in the first of two PPGs on Tuesday night to tie things up at 6:48 of the frame.

McDavid threw a pass into the crease that both Hyman & Draisaitl touched before it was shovelled home by No. 18 from the blue paint, where he continues to make his home by scoring his 15th goal of the season to give him points in back-to-back games.

Celebrating his 29th birthday, McDavid is now riding a career-best 20-game point streak (19G, 26A) after picking up an assist in the first period, becoming the 20th player in NHL history to have a point streak of at least 20 games and the first since Mitch Marner (23 games) in 2022.

Draisaitl extended his point streak to five games with a helper and is creeping up on 600 career assists, which would make him just the fourth Oiler (Gretzky, McDavid and Messier) and 108th player in NHL history to reach the mark.

SECOND PERIOD

Another game against Nashville, another feeding frenzy for Draisaitl.

The German continued his dominance of the Predators by factoring in on every one of Edmonton's three goals through 40 minutes, including a goal and an assist in the middle frame to give him 49 points (27G, 22A) in 20 career games against Nashville and a multi-point effort in five of their last six meetings.

Nashville retook the lead 3:03 into the second period on a rebound finished by Erik Haula in front, before it was Draisaitl just over four minutes later being the benefactor of his linemates' hard work off an offensive-zone faceoff to set him up on a one-timer from the right circle to score his 25th goal of the season.

Kasperi Kapanen continues to be an effective addition on that second line since his return from a 36-game absence a few games ago after he knocked down the potential clearance off an offensive zone draw that led to Draisaitl's goal, finding his linemate for a one-timer that was blasted five-hole on Saros.

Kapanen has five points (1G, 4A) in five games since returning from injury, while Podkolzin reached 10 assists and 20 points with his secondary assist.

Nashville's third stick penalty of the night on a tripping call against Nick Blankenburg with 7:35 left in the frame sent the Oilers back to the power play, where they ran it back from the first time with the same combination to give themselves a 3-2 lead.

Draisaitl powered another one-timer from his regular spot in the right circle off a cross-ice pass from McDavid that Saros stopped initially before it rolled out from underneath his pads and into the crease for Hyman to whack it home for his second PPG of the night, and 14th goal in his last 17 games.

But just 38 seconds later, Roman Josi equalized with a blast through traffic that made it 3-3 entering the third period.

THIRD PERIOD

Jarry brought his best when it mattered on Tuesday, making pair of terrific saves in the third period that helped get the Oilers to overtime.

Bunting was robbed early in the period when Jarry made a toe save on his attempt off a rebound before he prevented a two-on-one a few minutes later, standing up a shot from Stamkos before reaching out with the right pad at the post to deny Haula and keep it 3-3.

Nashville had a power play past the midway mark of the frame that was evened up by a slash to the stick of Mattias Ekholm that was made by Filip Forsberg, sending it to four-on-four, where McDavid nearly rounded Saros for a goal similar to the first of his hat-trick against the Predators back on Jan. 6.

Edmonton's penalty kill held Nashville to only a shot on a power-play opportunity with over three minutes left in regulation, ultimately getting it to overtime.

OVERTIME

In a chase for the puck between Roman Josi and Tristan Jarry near the hashmarks, it was the Predators who came up with possession and secured themselves the extra point through Josi's second goal of the game with 1:17 remaining.

Draisaitl and McDavid were gassed in Nashville's zone when the puck was turned over to the Predators for an odd-man rush, where Jarry came out to challenge Josi for the puck after it was aired over the top of Bouchard by Ryan O'Reilly to give his Swiss defenceman a chance at a breakaway.

The rebound fell to Brady Skjei, and with Jarry out of position, he fed Josi for a one-timer on the left side that he buried to win Nashville the extra point.